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Daily manna from the Torah by Dr Ketriel Blad

Kedoshim 30-3

Sanctified/consecrated/sacred

Leviticus 19:23-32

When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. It shall not be eaten. But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the LORD.

Lev. 19:23-24 NKJV

Can fruit praise the Eternal?

When the Torah starts a passage saying: "When you come into the land..." it is understood that the commandment that follows is limited to the land of Israel. There are several commandments that apply only in the land of Israel according to the borders of the time of the conquest of Yehoshua (Joshua).

The fruit of trees planted in the land of Israel can't be eaten during the first three years. This fruit must be considered as a foreskin, according to the Hebrew text. On the fourth year, the fruit must be given to the Eternal as praise to Him. This teaches us that one can praise the Eternal not only with words and songs but also with the fruit of trees. Fruits can praise the Eternal when used correctly.

Not only is the fruit offering on the fourth year the one that produces praise but also from the fifth year when we are allowed to eat them. Every time a Jew eats a fruit he must say a special blessing to the Eternal for having created the fruit of the tree, if he hasn't said the general blessing on the bread that also covers all other food.

 The blessing is: "Baruch Ata HaShem Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, Bore pri ha-ets" - "Blessed are you the Eternal our God King of the world, Creator of the fruit of the tree." In this way, the fruits of the trees produce lots of praise to the Eternal everyday in the entire world.

If tree fruits have been created to praise the Eternal, men should praise Him all the more!

Praise the Eternal with all your being and open your mouth to say His praise many times a day. The praise of the mouth is the fruit of the lips, as it's written in Hosea 14:2: "Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips." (NIVUK) And in Hebrews 13:15 it's written: "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." (ESV)

Ketriel

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